Looking into shopping cart that can use PayPal.

[whiteRabbit]

I am researching shopping carts that can use PayPal.  Shopping cart is for some site that I am about to design and code.  If anyone has used such a shopping cart before and have tips and tricks, I'd like to know.  Also if anyone has used osCommerce http://www.oscommerce.com before, I'd like to hear what he/she thought about it; pros, cons, advantages, disadvantages and so on.

[Queen Bee]

I've used the Paypal shopping cart before. Personally, I found it easy to use, easy to impliment, and just as nice as other shopping carts.

My opinion on OsCommerce.. It has advantages AND disadvantages. There is a convenience to the fact that OsCommerce automatically sets up categories, products, and things of that nature both quickly and easily. On the other hand, I don't think OsCommerce is as flexible as Paypal (If you can really compare) and I wouldn't suggest it for someone who can't work with PHP or alter scripts to fit their own preference.

You're kind of stuck with the navigation system OsCommerce has set up, while with Paypal you can do practically anything you please.

[SensoVision]

my opinion is different, osCommerce is relatively easy to setup even for those who don't know PHP of course you wouldn't be able to do much customatization but there is some themes avaiable which you may use. And I advice to use it since it's give good automatization and help to save your time which is inevitable for me right now also it let you process orders not only via paypal but by number of other processing system which make it flexible for you and your customer who has ability to choose most suitable way for payment.
We've setting up our site right now http://www.shop4decor.com but still have no time to create new categories and sort the things there but it's already working.

[whiteRabbit]

... also it let you process orders not only via paypal but by number of other processing system ...

So is it like extending PayPal shopping cart?  Or just using PayPal to handle transaction?

Is there any shopping cart application that extends PalPay shopping cart besides os Commerce?  Here's what I like to do.  I'd like to use PalPay to handle transaction while I implement a shopping cart.  I actually don't know how PalPay shopping cart works, but each item needs to have number of properties besides name and price.  For example, item 1 has properties such as size, weight, height, width, price, and color.  Search engine needs to be built in and it can search items based on specified parameters for properties (1 < size < 5, etc.)  Does it make sense?

With regard to the programming language, my preference is PHP for number of reasons.

[SensoVision]

osComerce is just using as front interface for your visitors, it's handle all operations and when it  comes time for checkout osCommerce just send some parameters to PayPal to process them. as for PayPal and other carts I don't know any personally but after doing search it's appear that there are some available check it out yourself.

[susieq]

Denis, Rachel, when will shop be fully operational?
There are many interesting purchases there

[SensoVision]

it's operates fully, the only thing we're working on is goods and categories which shouldn't affect end user.

[Corey Bryant]

You can also check out:
http://www.metalinks.com/ (ASP)
http://www.code9software.com/product.asp?itemid=4&catid=29

On a side note, set u a checking only for paypal for them to dump your money into.  As soon as the money is depostied, move it out.

[Queen Bee]

set u a checking only for paypal for them to dump your money into.  As soon as the money is depostied, move it out

That's a good idea, but only if you don't plan on using the Paypal money for other things, like auctions or shops that require Paypal.

[whiteRabbit]

Thanks for the info, everyone.  I went over the requirement (for the application that I plan to build) and I need to have the following features.  Is there any recommendation?

1. Written in PHP.

2. Open source, because I need to modify an item.  An item needs to have a bunch of properties besides name and price.  If a shopping cart has a feature to extend an item and it can add number of properties to the item, it would be great.  But my guess is that I need to do some coding.

3. (Ideally) 3 layers of users; visitor, worker, and administrator.

Does osCommerce have these layers?  Is there any other php based open source shopping cart that has 3 layers of users?

[SensoVision]

hmm I think all things could be done via osCommerce, it's not support layers from beginning but it's possible that some modification exist for this... better try to check it yourself on their community. or knowledge database.

[whiteRabbit]

hmm I think all things could be done via osCommerce, it's not support layers from beginning but it's possible that some modification exist for this... better try to check it yourself on their community. or knowledge database.

I found this post http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=19239&st=0&#entry50459 and it seems like that we can create a hierarchy of users in osCommerce.  I don't know about extending item yet.  I posted two messages http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=60092 and http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=60091.  I'll see if I can get some help in their forum.

[SensoVision]

check thier knowledge database as well since mods which are listed there are pretty easy to install, so maybe you wouln't even need any help from forums.

[OffersDepot]

I'd like to point you in a direction that you might not have seen up until today.

This site just opened: http://www.offersdepot.com, they offer turnkey CUSTOMIZABLE shopping carts and they also allow you the ability to make/accept offers on items. I would read up about them, very cool idea. Look at this store: http://www.offersdepot.com/michael/

Let me know...

[Lestor]

We've been using Fast Cat Carts for our merchant clients for a while now.  Very easy to set up, and very customizable.  Can do Paypal and/or credit card processing.  They even provide and set up the hosting, etc for us.  We send these guys a template, and the site is usually up and running with the cart installed within a day.  Excellent shopping cart.  Check it out at http://www.fastcatcarts.com.  Tell em Lestor sent you!

Cheers,

Lestor